Apparatus and process of laying cement sidewalks or similar structures.



A. D. NEY. APPARATUS AND PROCESS OF LAYING CEMENT SIDEWALKS OR SIMILAR STRUGTURES. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23. 1909.

9 39,07 1 Patented Nov. 2, 1909.

UNITED sratrns ea rnnr ()FFXCE.

ALEXANDER n. NEY, or AURORA, ILLINOIS APPARATUS AND PROCESS OF LAYING CEMENT SIDEWALKS OR SIMILAR STRUCTURE$.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2, ittw.

Application'filed February 23, 1909. Serial No. 479,545.

To all QI/IIIOIII it may concern:

Be it known that l, .hmxANnnn 1). her, 5 a citizen ol. the United States, residing at I Aurora. in the county of Kane and State ot' Q Illinois. have invented certain new and useto] improvements in Apparatus and Proe esses o'l Laying Cement bide 'alks or Smuspecification.

in the ordinary method ol laying cement sidewalks or similar cement structures. it is customary to first lay a foundation of relatively coarse material, which is tamped down by means of a tampingtool between the rails of a mold form which serves to hold it in position. In the use of a tamping; tool, the common practice, is to pre s the foundation material to the extent necessary to bring its surface below the level of the mold or form and thereafter lill in the re maining space with the surface layer oii cement until the top of the surface layer is tlush with the top of the form. smoothing down the surface with a st night. edge and finishing it with a trowel. This method of laying sidewalks is objectionable, for the l'ittSQtl that; it is impossible, even Witlr great :ar'c. to secure an absolutely level surface for the foundation by means of a tamping tool, so that. when the surface layer. is applied, it will be of a varying thickness. by reason of inequalities in the level of the foundation. This lack of uniformity in the thickness oi the surface layer frequently causes the latter to crack and disintegrate when subjected to the expansion and'coir traction due to changes in temperature at: the same time permit the-Work to be performed more rapidly and with less labor and practice than has hitherto been required.

Further objects will appear from a detailed description of the invention. which consists in the various steps and operations to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cement sidewalk in various stages of completion. illustrating the process of the present invention and the tools or devices therein employed: Fig. 2 a cross sectional lar b'tructures, ot'whtch the following is a l present process; Fig. 2; a. cross sectional view view, taken through the form used in the of the st raight. edge employed in leveling the foundation layer: Fig. t a cross sectional view. showing: the method of clan'iping the upper term to the rails of the lower form; and Fig. a plan view of the clamp of Fifi. in clamping position.

in the process of the present invention, utter lev ling the ground to the extent necessary to receivethe sidewalk or other cement structure, a line of stakes 9 are driven into the ground, which serve as supports for the rails of a lower form. the upper edges of which rails are intended to lie flush with the vtop of the foundation layer of cement.

.sary to tightly clamp the parts together. to rails to thestakes permits a considerable degree oi ad 'lhis met hod oi el:nnpingt justment a her the stakes have been driven, so that great exactness in driving the stake; is not required. After the rails have been laid. the l'onndationlaycr of cement concrete material, which is in a tlnid condition rather than in the relatively stiti' condition used where the tamping operation is performed, is poured into the space between the rails untii ts surface is substantially on a level or flush with the top edges ol the rails. a tter which it is leveled down by means of a straight; edge 11. which ot' snllicient length to extend trom side to side and rest, upon the side rails. iv reason oi the fluid nature easy-manipulation of the straight edge.

of the cement concrete employed, gravity will act to bring the material to a substantially solid, coherent and homogeneous mass, so that no tamping will be necessary. Where the material is relatively stiff, a tampin operation is necessary in order, not only to evel down the mass, but also to pack down the material, so that interstices or 1 tamping operation 'isfactory manner.

tamped down, but the cement can be v 1 spaces will not be left in the completed concrete, which chemical action will be much more perfect where the material is left practically undisturbed after the pouring operatiof'n-than is the case where a tamping operationi's performed and the natural operation Tot; icrystallization '.";w it h metal facing rip a the wood dill,

interfered with. The straight edge is preferably formed of wood. in thdfomn of a T iron having its flanged?) embedded in v and held by means of cross bolts The straight edge is provided, at one end; with a projecting handle 15, and is further rovided, at a suitable distance from the ban le, with a hand-hole 16 which per- )After. the foundation layer has been leveled it will be .partially cut or divided into spctions by means of a tool 17 the constructflOhTlQf which will be hereinafter referred to,

'alid whichlmakes a separating joint. The relativelythin consistency of the founda ""f'tiow'n'iaterial permits it to be quickly and perfeotly' zsmoothed down by means of the I v i so that its upper surface will beiperfectly level and flush atall points with straight edge,

the side falls and in proper condltion to re- :ceiv'e the surface layer or coating. Before I th :"the latter is applied, .the edges '0 e foundation layer are slightly rounded by means of, the tool 17, which comprises a plate 18 having its outer end 19 turned down to Work the material slightly away from the, form in order to provide a slot or channel'20 outside ofthe edge of the foundation layer for the reception ofthe finer and smoother material 'whi'ch forms the surface layer. --.The innerend 21 or the tool is flat to bear upon the leveled surface of. the foundation layer, which facilitates the. manipulation of the tool by means of a handle 22 similar in form to the handleof a'spade. After the foundation layer hasjbeen thus treated, it is in condition to receive the surface layer.

the application of the latter, the mold is -built up by inserting a top form comprising top metal strips 23, each of a length e ual to the intended length of a section 0 side-Q Walk, which strips, along their upper edges 24, are inwardly bent or curved to furnish a circular formation to the upper corner of the finished sidewalk; and these upper metallic strips are inserted into the groove or channel formed by the tool 18 and are held in place by means of clamping brackets 25, each of which is of a length to bridge over the top of the side rail and is provided with a downturned end 26, which is adapted to have a clamping screw 27 threaded therethrough, which screw is adapted to bear against the outer faces of the lower rail and to be adjusted to tightly clamp the strips composing upper formintoposition.

The Width of the groove or channel 20 is such that when the upper strips are clamped tightly against the 1nner faces of the side .rails a space will be afforded inside of the form for the reception of the cement intended to furnish aside finish for the sidewalk. .Theprojection of the upper form above the side rails will be equal to the intended thickness of the surface layer which is poured in between the metal form and fills down under-the inwardly turned edges thereof and, into the groove or channel inside of the lower can be leveled down by means of a straight edge like that previously described, or of any other suitable formation, which straight edge, being of suflicient length to rest upon the upper metal form,

form, after which it y will level the surface layer to a uniform thickness at all points.

The straight edge will rest upon the thin lodgment of of cement on the edges of the metal strips in such manner as to cause irregularity of movement of'the straight edge, which will move smoothly and evenly along the edges of the strips in leveling down the surface layer. During this operation, the strips fun nish a knife edgefor cutting off the surplus cement. After the surface layer has been leveled down it is smoothed off and finished comprises a flat plate 31 having secured to its rear face a tapered bar of inverted T iron, to the flange of which, at one end, are secured handles 32 and 33, conveniently located to permit manipulation of the-tool. The tool is of sufficient length to rest upon and be guided by the top form, which greatly facilitates and expedites the finishin operation. Bysupporting the finishing me upon the top form, the finishing operation can be performed almost immediately after inturned edges. of the top metal strips 23, I so that no surface will be afforded for the grit, pebbles or. hard particles v by means of a surface finishing'tool 30-which Before l the top layer of cement has been poured igplace. since the'surface of the cement will be reliev d from the pressure of the tool, so that there is no necessity for allowing the cement to partially harden or crystalline be-' fore it is finished down. In the use of an ordinary trowel for finishing purposes, it is necessary to allow the cement to harden or I thicken to a considerable degree before it .will be in condition to bear the weight of a trowel. after which the 'troweling opera tion disturbs or impairs the natural crystallithe length and thickness of posing the sidewalk.

the sections com- In the claims, when speaking of the founderstood that-it intended to cover any nation of the material. The operation of the I ,rocess can be performed immediately, so that delay 1s avoided and a present 1 moother and more coherent surface layer will be secured. walk has been surfaced it will be divided up at the intended points by means of a cutter l-l in the form of a tlat bar 35 having a V- P shaped flange b5 which serves as a blade. and is of sutlicient length to enter the. slots or spaces 3t between the ends of adjacent mctal strips. thereby allowing the cutter to be worked back and forth until a cut of the. desired depth is made, the edges of which cut will be on a circle, and the cut. being made in register with the underlying cut in the foundation. The cutter is reinforced on its surface by means of a tapered rib 3?. at one end of which is a handle 3H, and near the center of which is a handle i!) which facilitates the manipulation of the cutter.

in laying a sidewalk in accordance with the steps and operations of the present 1nu-nt ion. perfect uniformity as regards thickinfsls' of the top or surface layer will be cured. by reason of the employment of upper and lower t'orms adapted to be superimposed one on the other. The old method of emplo 'ing but a single form necessitated either continued measurements to determine the level of the foundation at different points while being tam ped, or resulted in a foundat ion which was largely a matter or guesswork. a result of such lmperfect methods, the

surface layer would vary quite materially in thickness at different points, so that, under the iulluence of frostand changes in'tem- After the section of the r perature, the cement would crack at the points of least thickness and strength, there- I by causing the sidewalk to disintegrate in a short time. mosU careful measurements under the old Furthermore, even with the. ,the lower form, then securing to the lower tampiug process, much time was wasted and 1 laborious operation was necessitated, all of which objections have been overcome by-the process of the present invention. Each of the several operations, the leveling down, finishing, surfacing, and cutting of thesid'ewalk, in the process of the present invention is performed with exactness and uniformity, bv reason 'of the fact that in all of theseop, eiations the tools employed are guided and supported-by the forms, which indicate both above the lower f other structure of a similar nature.

What l regard'as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is: I l. The process oflaying a cement structure. which consists in securing'lower rails in the desired position, pouring ina foundation layer of material between the rails and up to the level of the upper edges of the rails, leveling the surface of such material by means of a straight edge restin upon thelower rails, then securing to the ower rails upper strips having a projection above-the lower rails equal to the intended thickness of the surface layer, and then pouring in a surface layer of cement and leveling such layer by means of an implement resting upon the upper strips, substantially as described.

. The process of laying a cement structure, which consists in securing lower rails in the desired position, pouring in a foundation layer of fluid material between the rails and up to the level of the upper edges of the rails, leveling the surface of such-material by means of a straight edge resting upon the lower rails, then securing to the lower rails upper strips having a projection above the lower rails equal to the intendedthickness ot' the surface layer, then pouring in a surface la yer of cement and leveling such layer by means of-an implement resting upon the upper strips, and then surfacing the top sur-.-

face ofthc upper layer by means of surface finishing tool of of the upper strips, substantially as described. i S. The process of laying a cement structure which consists in securing a lower form in the desired position, pouring in a foundation layer of material within the forin and up to the level of the upper edges of the form, leveling the surface of such material I by means of a straight edge resting upon form an upper form having a. projection form equal to the intended thickness of the surface layer, then pouring in a surface layer of cement and leveling such layer by meansof an implement resting upon the upper form, then leveling the top surface of the upper layer by means of asitrface finishing tool of a length to rest upon the upper form, and then dividing the structure into sections by means of a cutter of a length to o erate back and forth a length to rest upon bothwithin the spaces between the ends of adjacent upper forms, substantially as de scribed. i v

4. The process of laying a cement structure, which consists in first securing a pair orlower .rails in position, then pouring in the'space up to the level offthe lowerrails a relatively thinfoundation material, then leveling the surface ofsuch. material with a strai ht edge laid upon the rails, thenforming c annels along the' upper side edges of the foundation layer and inside of the rails,

then clamping upper strips to the lower rails in position to hold the lower edges of the" upper strips within the channels, then pouring in the space intermediate, the upper scribed.

strips with a surface layer of cement, and

then leveling down the surface of such upper layer bymeahsof anjimple'ment resting upon the upper strips, substantially as de- 5. The process of laying a cement structure,.which' consists in first securing a pair of lower rails in position, then ouring in the space upto the level of the ower rails a relatively 'thin foundation material, then leveling the surface of such material with a straight ed e laid upon the-rails, then forming channels along the: upper side edgesof [the foundation layer and inside of the rails, then clamping upper strips to the lower rails inpositionto hold the lower edges of i the upperstr ps within the channels, then pouring in the space intermediate the upper strips a surface layer of'cement, then leveling down the surface oi such upper layerby i v described.

' the space upto the level of the lower rails v -means of an implement resting upon the upper stri'ps, and then leveling the top surface of the'u'pperlayerby means of a surface finishing tool of a length to rest upon both of the upper strips, substantially as 6. The rocess of layinga cement structure, whic consists 1n first securing apair of lower rails in position, then pouring in a relatively thin foundation material, then leveling the surface of such material with a straight edge laid upon the rails, then forming channels along the upper side edges of the foundation layer and inside of the rails, then clamping upper strips to the lower rails in position to'hold the lower edges of the upper strips, and then dividing the structure inte sections by means of a cutter of a length to operate back and forth within the spaces per strips,

between the ends of adjacent upper strips, substantially as described.

7. The process of laying a cement structure, which consists in securing lower forms in the desired position, pouring in a cement concrete material in a suiiiciently liquid condition to allow gravity to solidi ("y the ingredientswithout tamping, then levelingdown said material with a straight edge resting upon the lower rails, then securing the upper strips to the lower rails to constitute a form, then pouring von an upper layer of cement in a plastic condition to the intended thickness of the surface layer, then leveling such layer by means of an implement resting upon the upper edge of the form, then surfacing said material with a surfacing tool which spans the material and partially rests upon the form, the form being the guide for the shape of the uppeh face oflthe sidewalk, substantially as described.

8. In an apparatus for laying a cement sidewalk, the combination of a pair of lower rails, each having slots cut therethrough, a plurality of stakes adapted to hold the lower rails inposition, a pluralitv of clamps, each comprising a shank having aT-head at its inner end and having its outer end'ofiset to embrace a stake, the T-head being of a size to permit insertion through-one of the slots in the rails, adapting the clamp to be thereafter turned to bring the T-head'into transverse, relation with respect to the slot and to bring the offset endj of the clamp outside of thestake, and a screw entered through the offset end of the clamp and adapted to bear against the stake for clamping therail to the stake, substantially as described. u

9, In an apparatus for laying n' cement sidewalk, the combination of a pain-pf lower rails, each having slots cut therethiough, a plurality of stakes adaptdfto hold the lower rails in position, a plurality of clamps, each con'iprising a shankhaving a T-head' at its inner endv and having its' outer end ofiset toembrace a stake, the T-head being of size to permit insertion through one of the slots in the rails, adapting the clamp tabethereafter' turned to bring the T-head into transverse relation with respect to thesl ot and'to bring the offset end of the clamp outside oft-he stake, a screw entered tlirou'gh'the offset end of the clamp and adapted to bear against the stake for clannaing the rail to the stake, the upper edges ofthe rails lying,

in the same plane-and affording guides upon which to partially rest aleveling implement, as a straight edge, and upper strips, each provided with clamping brackets adapted to engagefthe lower rails, said stri s having their edges inturfned to round oii tlge corners of the surface layer. and afford g1 de's upon which to rest'a surfaeingrtool, substantially as described.

H). In an apparatus for laying a cement sidewalk, the con'ibinat ion of lower rails having their upper edges in the same plane and furnishing guides upon which to rest a leveling implement, as a straight edge, and upper strips adapted to be reinombly secured to thelower rails, said strips having their edges in the same plane to furnish guides upon winch to rest a surfacing tool, the upper strips being inwardly rounded to round ofi' 10 the edges of the completed sidewalk and sp'm-es being left between the adjacent strips to permit the insert-ion of a, cutting tool, substantially as described.

ALEXANDER D. NEY. \Vitnesses VVALKEI: EARNING, PIEIISO'N W. BANNING. 

